Ship Wrecked
by TinkerLJ
Summary: Lady Jaye meets Shipwreck, and life is never the same again. Loosely follows Sunbow storyline.
1. Chapter 1

_This one goes back to the early days of the Sunbow Joes and features two of my favorite mis-matched Joes: Lady Jaye and Shipwreck. Throughout most of the series, Lady Jaye and Shipwreck carried on a sort of "love-hate" friendship. But what did Lady Jaye really think about Shipwreck?_

_I've always wanted to write a story from Lady Jaye's POV. This is my attempt._

_As always, thank you for reading and reviewing. :)_

* * *

I read people pretty quickly, always have. It's just something I do. Even as a small child, I was keenly aware of signals nearly invisible to everyone else. I could see things—minute details or inconsistencies. It might be a small displacement of hair, an odd expression on the face, or even a slight bend in the shoulders—but I'd see it and _know_ something was wrong. Then, like a game, I'd do my best to figure out why—even when it came with a price.

I remember a conversation I had with my father one time when he'd found me curled up on my bed, crying. I'd just caught my best friend in a bold-faced lie.

"Allie, what you do is a gift," he told me gently as he sat down. "I know it's hard for you now, but someday you'll grow into it."

"How do you know?" I asked, rising to my knees.

"I just do," he said softly, pulling me onto his lap and kissing the top of my head. "I think I know you better than I know myself sometimes," he whispered.

I snuggled against his chest, breathing in the spicy wood scent of his aftershave and more faintly, the sweetness of mother's perfume. A heavy sigh rose up and out of me. Somehow, I didn't think he'd still call it a gift if he knew I was aware of his arguments with mother, even when they were careful not to do it in front of me. They pretended it never happened. I pretended I didn't know.

I had already become very good at acting.

As I grew older, though, I came to realize that my father had been right. I did grow into my ability, more or less. I learned to hone it and put it to better uses. For example, I learned to recognize truth as opposed to when someone was lying or trying to hide something. I also learned to recognize when someone was bluffing, or intending real harm. And with the type of work I now do—dealing with some of the most dangerous terrorists of our day—it's become an ability that serves me well, an ability I've learned to use in whatever situation I find myself.

But my reading of people isn't just limited to the missions I go on, or to my enemies. I also use it in my daily life—to tell me who I can trust, who is genuine, and who is a potential friend. And being a Joe, constantly interacting with other Joes, this has become especially useful.

It's well-known fact that we Joes are an eclectic group made-up of individual personalities ranging from the extremely outgoing to the ultra-private, don't-talk-to-me crowd. This isn't surprising though, when you factor in our various backgrounds and specialities. And even though we may be the best of the best when it comes to being soldiers, that doesn't automatically mean we all get along. Some Joes are easier to like than others and all friendships take effort. But, there are those few Joes you find yourself drawn to almost instantly: Dusty, Ripcord and Roadblock, for instance. And there are those that grow on you and become good friends over time: Mainframe, Cover Girl, Lifeline and Alpine. Others, you can't help but respect, almost from the moment you meet them: Hawk, Duke, Snake Eyes and Scarlett. And then there are those Joes—Beach Head, Lowlight, and Clutch—so completely unapproachable that you have to accept them just as they are, and from a safe distance. Most of the Joes fall neatly into these four groups, or some combination of them—even Flint, who's a little bit of everything all thrown together. And so much more.

But defying all classification, a man whose courage, loyalty and complete lack of tact I find myself puzzling over even to this day, is Shipwreck.

I still remember the first time we met. Our introductions came quite unexpectedly, with the return of lost friends I had nearly convinced myself I'd never see again.

I suppose I'd better explain.

We Joes were transporting a powerful energy source called the Laser Core when Cobra attacked. They overpowered us and managed to get away with the Core. In the process, Duke and Snake Eyes were taken as prisoners.

True to our motto, though, we didn't give up. While I led the majority of the Joes back to base to regroup, Flint and Scarlett gave chase with two squadrons of Skystrikers backing them. But 40,000 feet up and going nearly Mach 1, they were hit suddenly by a massive storm—a storm, we later learned, that was part of an elaborate trap designed by Destro.

Back at the Pitt, though, we had no clue what was happening. First, we lost all radio contact. Then, Flint's team disappeared from radar. We didn't know whether they were alive or dead. Scarlett told us later that the last thing she saw was Flint falling in a slow spiral before disappearing into the clouds, her own having just barely escaped.

Cobra had us by the throat and they knew it. They had Duke and Snake Eyes—and the Laser Core. And they had set in motion a plan so devastating that if left unchecked, it would destroy the world. Our priority was clear. So, for all intents and purposes, Mutt, Junkyard, Roadblock and Flint were on their own—if they were still alive.

And I truly hoped with all my heart, they were.

At the time, Flint and I were both still fairly new to the team. Flint had recently joined the ranks as second in command behind Duke. Apparently, the two had worked together in the past and Duke had asked him personally. Flint had jumped at the chance, or so I heard. I joined around the same time—signing up with the Joes in a lesser role as Intel and Covert Ops. Like always, though, I was determined to prove myself—just like I had done for my Airborne and Ranger qualifiers. It wasn't long before I found myself being handed more and more responsibility. I began heading out on missions—sometimes even co-leading them—as well as training new recruits. From there, my leadership roles expanded and before I knew it, I was sitting in on leaders' meetings.

Right away, I found Duke and Scarlett easy to work with. And despite all the mixed words and warnings I had been given about General Hawk, I found him easy to work with, too. Beneath the General's stern exterior, we—I guess I can't say it any other way—connected. It turned out that my upbringing and family experiences shared similarities with his own. We understood one another on many levels. But more than that, my ability to read people confirmed it—I knew I could trust the man with my life.

Flint, however, remained an enigma.

From the very beginning, Duke and Hawk paired us up. Flint was an amazing tactician and military strategist. That was obvious. And he was more than ready to let me, and everyone else, know it. But despite his bloated confidence, we worked well together. We fed off of each other, pushing each other, working as if by instinct. We were good together—very good—and everyone else saw it, too. And the more time we spent together, the better we got. I learned to trust him implicitly. And he, me. As a result, our friendship deepened quickly and was soon threatening to become something—more. Not that either one of us were ready to make that move. I, for one, was not about to jeopardize everything I had worked for on the off-chance of a relationship. But even I had to admit that I was feeling something new for the man. Then, I began catching glimpses of something else beneath his arrogant exterior, something entirely different—a man with not only a brilliant mind, but the soul of a poet—a man that intrigued me. I decided do a little digging to figure out why.

"So, I noticed you attended Oxford," I began carefully.

"Yeah."

"What did you study?"

"Why?" he glared at me.

I shrugged. "No reason. Just trying to make conversation."

He frowned.

"I mean it," I insisted. "I'm just trying to get to know you better. That's all." I pouted slightly. "Please?"

He gazed at me and then sighed. "Fine. If you must know, it was English Lit."

"English Lit?" My eyes widened in interest. "Really? That's hardly a military major," I quipped.

"Military wasn't my only interest."

"Oh, and literature was?"

"At the time, yes."

I thought back to my own college days and smiled. I could understand that. I had had my own interests, not so very different from his, it seemed. "_O for a life of sensations rather than thoughts—" _I whispered softly.

"John Keats," he said automatically.

Our eyes met.

"So, you do know!" I exclaimed.

He smiled. "Of course I do." He began to speak, his voice deepening into a rich baritone. "_What the imagination seizes as beauty must be truth."_

"Keats, again," I said faintly. I could hardly believing what I was hearing. I didn't even care that I was staring.

"Correct." The corners of his mouth lifted. "And since you're so smart, how about trying this one?" His grin widened. "_The intellectual power, through words and things, Went sounding on, a dim and perilous way!"_

I frowned, wracking my memory. "Wordsworth?" I finally ventured.

A deep chuckle rose out from his throat. "That's it. You got it."

"So, you really are a lit major," I said in awe.

"Yeah." He grinned sheepishly. "Don't let it get around, though."

"Why not?"

"Why do you think, Lady Jaye?" He tapped me playfully on the forehead. "Do you really think I can rally the troops by quoting Shakespeare?"

I shook my head and laughed softly. He had a point.

"Now it's your turn." He slid nearer, till our knees were just touching. His voice lowered. "How do _you_ know Keats?"

I felt my cheeks heating. I was more than aware of his closeness. "I went to Trinity," I stammered.

"I'm listening."

And so, I proceeded to tell him _my_ story.

It became the beginning of that something "more."

I was by that time a full-fledged member of Hawk's tight, inner circle of leadership alongside Duke, Flint and Scarlett. So, when my opportunity came at last and Scarlett put me in charge of my first mission, I didn't hesitate. I simply accepted.

Which brings me back to Flint—and Shipwreck.

Flint had disappeared and it looked like he was gone—possibly forever. And there was nothing I could do. Worse, I'd never even told him how I really felt, and I couldn't, of course, tell anyone else about it, either. So, I buried it. Deep down inside my heart. Then, masking my worry and grief, I did what I had always done—I acted. It was the performance of lifetime, a performance my drama professors would have been proud of.

Leaving Flint and his team to fend for themselves was probably the hardest thing I'd ever had to do.

But against all odds, Flint and Mutt survived and managed their own escape—and they made it safely back to us.

I'll never forget the moment he stepped through the supply doors with that wonderful, lopsided grin on his face. A lump rose into my throat and I just barely choked out the words. "We all kept hoping you'd make it back, Flint."

"Thanks," Flint said, clearing his own throat. His eyes locked onto mine. "That means a lot. Knowing that your buddies miss you, I mean."

I smiled, though my insides felt like they were melting into a messy puddle of goo.

Then Shipwreck spoke. "You're his buddy?"

Startled, I jumped and turned toward the unfamiliar voice, tearing my gaze from Flint.

A broad shouldered man had pushed his way forward. He was wearing an open-collared, short-sleeved blue shirt, blue wide-legged pants and black gloves. On his right arm, I noticed the tattoo of an anchor. A white sailor hat was pulled down over a head of thick brown hair. He was Navy—but not exactly. A non-regulation scruffy beard covered the lower half of his face, but it didn't even come close to hiding his grin.

I looked at him in utter confusion.

"This guy helped me out, Lady Jaye," Flint explained. He was acting like he'd just brought home a stray pup. "Saved my neck, too." He broke into an idiotic grin.

"I'd rather save yours," the man took a step closer, his grin widening as he slowly looked me up and down.

My smile withered on my lips. To say I didn't like the man would have been an understatement, but I couldn't have said why. I didn't pick up on any of the usual warning signals. Despite his all his brashness, I knew he wasn't a threat—it was just _him_. I steadied my gaze. "Um, thanks," I said.

"The name's Shipwreck." He stretched out a hand. "Yours?"

"Lady Jaye. Pleasure to meet you," I lied. I took his hand and gave him a carefully measured smile.

"The pleasure is all mine, doll."

"Doll?" I yanked back my hand. My voice became hard, like ice. "I'm not a toy," I said.

Suddenly, I became aware of the silence around the room, the eyes of all the Joes on us. I took a deep breath and turned toward Scarlett. "With your permission, _my_ team will be leaving."

"Permission granted."

"—Team? What team?" Flint pushed aside Shipwreck, looking quickly from Scarlett to me.

"A team to retrieve one of the pieces of Destro's Weather Dominator," Scarlett said impatiently.

"What?"

"It's a long story, Flint," I said quickly. "Basically, Destro's weather gizmo thing shot into orbit and came down in three pieces—"

Joes around the room were nodding their heads.

"—And now we've gotta race against Cobra to retrieve them," Recondo broke in.

"—And put 'em back together," Gung Ho added.

"—So we can fix the weather," Scarlett finished. "Torpedo and Wild Bill have already gone after the first fragment. Lady Jaye's leading another team after the second.

Flint scratched at the heavy stubble on his chin and frowned. "I guess I missed a few things while we were gone."

"A few." I smiled and then turned back to Scarlett. "Now?"

"Now." She nodded.

It was time to go. Grabbing my javelin pack, I slung it over my shoulder and looked around at my first Joe team. Grim determination was written on each face, the same determination I knew was on mine. A fierceness broke over me. _This was my team and we were not done yet—not by a long shot. _"Come on, gang. We've got a world to save!" I shouted. "Yo Joe!"

"Yo Joe!" Answering cries rose up from all corners of the room as we ran for the exit.

"Go get 'em Joes!" Scarlett's voice carried after us. "Good luck!"

* * *

_End notes: This chapter refers to Sunbow's "The Revenge of Cobra," parts 1 and 2._


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you, everyone, for reading and for the kind reviews. I admit, I'm having fun with this one. _

_Now, let's see where it goes._

* * *

I glanced over my shoulder as I ran, and frowned. Flint had joined the Joes who were following me. Catching my gaze he suddenly began sprinting to catch up.

"You're coming, too?" I said, clenching my teeth. "I can handle this, you know."

"Of course you can. But I can't let you have all the fun, can I?" He gave me a lopsided grin. "So, where are we headed?"

"Skystrikers," I said shortly.

Snow had begun falling, lightly dusting the asphalt. Our feet made footprints in it as we ran side by side.

"Ok if I pilot?"

"Only if I stay in charge," I countered. I wasn't about to give up my first chance to lead.

"I didn't come along to usurp you, if that's what you were thinking," he said mildly. Then his voice lowered so that only I could hear. "I came for other reasons." He reached out and brushed a snowflake from my cheek.

"Oh, I—" I fixed my gaze straight ahead and continued jogging, not trusting myself to say anything else. My heart had begun doing flip-flops in my chest. As we neared our Skystriker, we heard a shout behind us, followed by huffing and puffing and then the plod of heavy footsteps. I slowly released the breath I'd been holding and exchanged it for a sigh. I didn't have to turn around. I already knew exactly who was coming: _Shipwreck._

"Hey!" The shout came again, louder. Shipwreck was clutching his side as he caught up with us. "You two weren't thinking about leaving yer old sailor buddy behind, were you?" he panted.

"Of course not." Flint laughed and slapped him on the back. "Glad to have you along. You know what they say, two is company—"

"—And three is a regiment," I said automatically.

I climbed into the cockpit. Shipwreck squeezed in next to me, our hips and shoulders pressed tightly together.

"You _do_ know these things are made for only two?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" he looked around with interest. "Why? There's plenty of room back here." He folded his arms behind his head as if to show me just how much room—though we were already so tight neither of us could move without bumping or jostling the other. Then, his gaze came to rest on me and he grinned widely. "But if it's a problem, you could always sit on my lap."

My eyes narrowed. "I'm fine right where I am," I said. Leaning forward I spoke into Flint's ear. "Get us out to the runway, Flint." I glanced back at Shipwreck. He was still grinning, his hand now patting his lap invitingly. "As quickly as you can," I added in an undertone.

"On it, Lady Jaye."

I could almost swear I heard Flint laughing as I leaned back into my seat.

We flew through the night. Shipwreck slept soundly, his head resting heavily on my shoulder. I'd never heard anyone snore so loudly in all my life. I don't think my own eyes closed all night.

As the sun rose, we finally spied dense jungle beneath us.

"We're here," Flint said.

I just nodded. We had arrived.

Flint landed the Skystriker on a rough, bare strip of land beside a dry riverbed, just as the satellite images had shown. It was dicey, but we made it. Then, we hiked to the temple. It took almost an hour to cut a path through the dense jungle. Recondo's team parachuted in further up the river. Theirs was a dangerous jump through trees and hanging, twisted vines of undergrowth, and then, like us, a long hike through jungle. Our two teams arrived at the temple around the same time—Recondo's team approaching from the north and mine from the south.

"We're in place." We heard Recondo's whisper through the com.

"So are we," Flint whispered back.

Cobra had also arrived. Recondo's team began laying down heavy fire. My team joined them, firing from the opposite side. Cobra quickly found themselves caught in the middle. They could neither move forward, nor retreat. They were too busy trying to protect all their fronts. We had the advantage, if only I could figure out a way to get into the temple.

Suddenly, Gung Ho joined us.

"Where'd you come from?" Flint said in surprise. "I thought you stayed back at the Pitt."

He grinned sheepishly. "I hitched a ride with the last flight. Didn't want to miss out on a good firefight."

We laughed softly. "You're one man we're always glad to have around, Gung Ho."

He responded with a deep throated chuckle. "Beats running obstacle courses any day."

_Obstacle courses. _Suddenly, an idea began to form. I turned toward Flint.

"I think a small team could slip through this firefight unnoticed and get to the fragment," I said. I pulled out a explosive tipped javelin and standing suddenly, threw it. Several BATS exploded and I ducked back down.

"How small a team?" Flint asked. He was firing at a line of blue Cobra Troopers.

"Hmm—" I thought a second. I didn't know if I could trust Shipwreck, yet, but I needed a third person and he was the only one available. "—Yours truly, Shipwreck and Gung Ho," I decided.

Flint pushed me down as a burning Cobra glider passed over us from behind. "Sounds doable," he said. "I'll cover you. And good luck."

"Thanks," I smiled.

Flint began firing rapidly at various targets so Cobra wouldn't realize our disappearance. Recondo's team redoubled their attack from the other side.

"Let's go, guys." I crouched low and began sneaking my way toward the entrance of the temple, slipping from rock to rock. Shipwreck and Gung Ho followed.

A few minutes later, we were in. I peered into the gloom, letting my eyes adjust. It was cool inside, and dark. It smelled of ancient dust.

"I think I saw this on the late, late show," Gung Ho muttered.

I nodded in agreement. It was _definitely_ like something out of Indiana Jones. My eyes adjusted quickly. I saw a gleam in the dark. "There it is," I pointed. "The weather fragment."

"Let's get it and get out of here," Shipwreck said. "This place is giving me the creeps."

I knew exactly how he felt. Voices seemed to echo around us, our own—and others. I shivered. "Gung Ho?" I whispered.

"You bet, Lady Jaye." Gung Ho went over and picked up the heavy fragment.

"Come on," I called softly. I had already begun leading the way back toward the exit.

We were halfway there when I heard a sound behind us, like small stones rolling down the side of a mountain. Then, the stones grew to boulder-size sounds. I looked behind me—and froze. Gung Ho and Shipwreck stopped, too. Shipwreck began muttering curses under his breath.

The stone statue had awoken. Rising to a towering height, it turned and looked at us through empty eye holes. Then, it took a step. The floor of the temple shook and trembled. We turned and ran. A wave of heat passed over us, nearly singeing the hair from our heads. _The thing was spewing fire at us! _We dropped to our stomachs and scrambled for cover. Then, we heard another roar. A second mechanical nightmare had entered the temple—a snake-headed robot.

I couldn't believe it. Here it was—my first mission—and I was trapped between a walking stone statue and a giant snake robot! Bootcamp had never prepared me for this. Nothing had ever prepared me for this. And the worst part was, if I actually managed to live through it, no one else would believe me, either. At that moment, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Luckily, the mechanical beasts seemed to be more interested in each other than in us. We crouched in hiding and waited for our chance. When it finally came, we slipped unnoticed though a crack in the temple wall and out. _We had made it!_

I was just getting ready to congratulate myself when the earthquake hit.

A rumbling sound came first. Then, the ground ahead of us ripped open. A large crevasse formed, widening as we ran toward it. Shipwreck and Gung Ho reached it first and jumped. I was only a few paces behind, but as I reached the edge I knew I wouldn't make it. I slid to a halt and began looking frantically for another way.

"Jump, Lady Jaye," Gung Ho shouted, his voice urgent.

"Jump," Shipwreck shouted. Their voices echoed along the crevasse.

Suddenly, I heard a roar from behind. I glanced over my shoulder. The mechanical giants had moved their fight outside, the momentum of their battle carrying them straight for me. I was out of time. Pulling out a javelin, I extended it with a sharp click. Then, taking a quick step I attempted to pole-vault over the crack.

I almost didn't make it. I came up about a foot too short. Gung Ho caught me by the wrist just before I fell. I remember dangling there, seeing my life flash before my eyes. Then he and Shipwreck pulled me up and, wonder of all wonders, I felt my boots resting on solid ground once more. I stood there, trembling, catching my breath.

Shipwreck looked at me, his eyes full of concern. "You all right there, doll?"

I nodded, my voice struck dumb. There was a reason I hated heights, and I had just been reminded of it.

"Hey! What in the—"

Shipwreck and I turned quickly toward Gung Ho. He was staring at the ground, his eyes widening. Then I felt it, too—the ground beneath us rolling in waves. Another aftershock was coming, stronger than the first. Already, stones near the crevasse were bouncing. We backed away from the crumbling edge.

"Oh no!" I cried suddenly. "The fragment."

It had fallen over and was now rolling toward the edge. I made a grab for it, but missed. As it fell into the crevasse, Major Bludd swooped down in a glider and caught it.

"Oh no," I whispered, my mouth going dry. We had lost the fragment.

"Lady Jaye." Shipwreck nudged me urgently.

"What is it Shipwreck?" I said numbly. I was still staring at the place where Major Bludd had disappeared with the fragment.

"Look." He pointed a finger.

It was then that I noticed he was standing motionless, as if afraid to move. My gaze followed his finger. Then, I turned in a slow circle. The aftershock had done more than take the fragment, it had trapped us on a land island in the middle of the crevasse. Suddenly, I panicked.

"Flint, get us out of this!" I cried.

He was already running toward us. "Hang on, Lady Jaye!" He reached the edge quickly and attached a compressed ladder. It stretched across the gap, bridging our two sides. "Hurry," he shouted.

He didn't have to tell me twice. I grabbed a rung and began to cross. Gung Ho and Shipwreck were right behind me. But as I reached the other side, another aftershock came. The ladder broke loose and fell. Gung Ho and Shipwreck fell with it.

Suddenly, I was angry—livid. _This was not happening, I wouldn't let it! I was still the leader of this team!_

"Only one chance." I pulled out another javelin and threw it hard, deep into the wall of the crevasse on the other side. A rocket pulling a net shot back the other way. It attached to the wall on the other side. Shipwreck and Gung Ho reached for the net as they fell and grabbed hold. They hung suspended over the deep cavern.

Flint rested a hand on my shoulder. "Good job, Lady Jaye. You got it wired."

"But now what?" I asked. For once, I was out of ideas.

"Leave that to me," Shipwreck shouted. "—like stringing a bow." Pulling out a hook and line, he threw, burying it into the far wall. Then pulling hand over hand, he stretched the net until it quivered—and then he let go. The net slung them back up toward the edge where they grabbed hold. Then, we pulled them to safety.

"That was a little too close for me, Lady Jaye," Flint said, once everyone was back on solid ground.

"Me, too," I admitted. My heart was still trying to leap out of my chest.

"That was _great_ for me," Shipwreck drawled. "I _love_ danger."

I stared at him in amazement. He'd been scared, I knew. I could read it in his eyes—even now. How he could be so nonchalant though, was beyond me. But the tension broke anyway, and we all laughed.

It was much later that I learned it took a great deal for Shipwreck to be afraid—and that it only happened when others were in danger. If I had known, I think I would have come to respect him much sooner than I did.

"Let's go home," Flint said, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

"But I lost the fragment." I bit my lip.

He smiled. "Don't worry. We'll get it back."

We all piled back into the Skystrikers to go home. I found myself, once again, paired with Shipwreck. Flint had been quick to point out that he and Shipwreck together would not fit in the seat. Looking at their broad shoulders, I agreed, begrudgingly.

"Fine. But you owe me, mister," I jabbed a finger into his chest. Then, I climbed into the back and crossed my arms. Shipwreck slipped in next to me. "Nice and cozy back here, isn't it. Like it was made for two—you, and me."

_Seriously? He was trying a pick-up line, now? _ I leaned forward. "Flint—" I shook my head. "—Just get us home."

"Right away, Lady Jaye."

This time as I leaned back, there was no doubt: Flint _was_ laughing.

* * *

_End notes: This chapter refers to Sunbow's "The Revenge of Cobra," part 3_


	3. Chapter 3

_Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I wish you all a wonderful holiday filled with friends, family, warm food and hearts full of joy._

* * *

When you've got a world to save, you don't get much down time—and this is especially true if you're a Joe.

The moment our team returned to the Pitt, Scarlett held a meeting, updating everyone on the latest information.

"Spirit has recovered the first component, the Ion Correlator," she said to a round of cheers and shouts. "But we lost the second, the Hydro-Master, to Major Bludd." The cheers turned to groans—my own joining them.

She continued. "One piece still remains—the Laser Core, itself. Whoever gets this piece will have the advantage. I intend it to be us. Flint, you will lead the team—" Scarlett turned toward him. "I've already had the tracking equipment loaded on to your transports. Polar Battle Bears will be loaded once you decide how many you need—"

"I think, Scarlett—" he said thoughtfully, turning his eyes from Scarlett to me, "—I think Lady Jaye should lead this one."

"Oh?" Scarlett raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" I met his gaze, measure for measure. "Are you sure about this?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah," he smiled. "You know this tech stuff much better than I do. That makes you the better qualified."

I glanced over at Scarlett and she gave me a nod.

"Okay," I said, taking a deep breath. _Looks like I was being given a second chance. _I looked around at the faces in the room—hesitantly at first, and then with growing confidence. Not one held the judgement or blame I had expected to see. Every Joe met and held my gaze steadily, everyone both ready and willing to be made a part of my team. But I had already decided who would go. "I'll take Flint, Snow Job, Gung Ho, Spirit and—"

"And me!" Shipwreck pushed his way to the front. "You can't leave yer old buddy Shipwreck behind."

"—And Shipwreck," I smiled weakly. _By default._

He beamed.

Now that that had been settled, I turned to Scarlett. "It looks like we'll need three Battle Bears, Scarlett."

"I'l let transport know."

Then, I addressed the team. "Scarlett has prepared much of our cold weather gear. Our transportation is already on standby. Get yourselves outfitted and grab anything else you might need. We meet out on the tarmac in fifteen. Yo Joe!"

"Yo Joe!

###

Twelve hours later, we were riding our skimobiles across hard packed snow. Wind slapped against my cheeks. It was _cold. _ I huddled inside my anorak, gripping the tracking device, feeling my fingers go numb inside my fur lined gloves. Sun glinted off the ice and I blinked rapidly, my eyes tearing as I squinted against the bright glare. I followed the tracking device as far as we could— until we reached a wall of thick ice. Then, I slowed to a stop. The other two Battle Bears pulled up beside me.

"Sensor readings indicate the fragment is deep inside this ice structure," I pointed. Small puffs of smoke appeared and disappeared before me. I turned to Snow Job. "Any ideas for getting it out?" My voice sounded flat and brittle in my ears.

"Sure." He glanced back at the snow trailer behind him. "That's why I brought along my Glacier sleds. We can use the sluice ways—like this one." He pointed toward an ice cave.

"Sluice ways?" I asked. That was new.

He nodded. "Ancient tunnels, formed by hot springs trapped within the glacier."

"And they will lead us all the way through?"

"They should."

It wasn't exactly the confirmation I was seeking, but it would have to do. "Alright then," I agreed. "Everybody pair up and let's go sledding."

Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned. It was Flint, smiling down at me.

"Partner?" he asked.

"Partner." I warmed to his smile. His hand touched the small of my back and he began walking me toward the nearest sled. We hadn't gone far before Shipwreck shouted after us.

"Hey, who's gonna ride with me?"

Gung Ho's deep voice followed. "Get a date some other time. This ain't no tunnel of love."

Wincing, I glanced over at my partner. He was biting this lips, trying to hide his smile. Heat crept across my cheeks. I guess it had been too much to hope that he, at least, had missed Shipwreck's and Gung Ho's exchange. I pulled my hood tightly around my face and focused my eyes straight ahead. Maybe it was better if I just pretended I hadn't heard—if I just focused on the mission.

_###_

_The Roof of the World_ was an appropriate name. When we finally emerged from the sluice ways, we had arrived at a place that could only be described as cold, harsh and empty. The sharp air burned our lungs. No creature inhabited it. The only sounds were those we made—and the wind as it carved its fingerprints along the surface of the ice.

But I had little time to reflect on my surroundings. Soon after we arrived, so did Cobra. The Laser Core lay midway between us. We slipped on our blades and the battle began. It was a pleasant surprise to learn we could all ice skate-even Shipwreck.

Our two teams skimmed back and forth across the ice. We'd have possession of the Laser Core and then Cobra would take it from us. We'd gain it back, only to lose it again—over and over. Finally, it seemed we had won the upper hand. We were racing back toward the sleds, passing the Core back and forth between us, when—to the surprise of everyone—Zartan and his Dreadnoks suddenly appeared on a ledge of ice above us. Zartan quickly fired cables, latching onto the core. Then retracting, he pulled the Core up the ice wall and into his possession.

We stopped. Cobra also stopped.

"Zartan, what is the meaning of this?" Destro shouted.

Zartan gave him a smug smile. "The meaning is simply this: each of you owns one piece of the Weather Dominator. I now have the third—a piece I will willingly part with—to the highest bidder!" Then, with a mocking laugh, he aimed his pistol high on the ice wall and fired. We heard a crack and then a deep rumble. A massive sheet of ice and snow began falling toward us.

"Avalanch!" I cried. We ran for cover as Cobra escaped to their planes. We all made it out, but just barely.

We returned to the Pitt heavy-hearted and empty-handed. Once there, Scarlett told us that the component Spirit had recovered had also been stolen. That meant Cobra had two pieces. And with Zartan in possession of the third, we knew it wouldn't be long before Cobra had reassembled the Weather Dominator.

We had only one chance left.

We attacked Cobra directly, hitting them hard. As we had expected, Destro had reassembled the Weather Dominator. He threw everything at us—snow, electrical storms, hail, and wind. But we fought our way through, managing at last to infiltrate their base. Then, Cobra fled in defeat, leaving us in control of the weather device. We immediately set to work reversing all the weather anomalies, setting the world back to normal. Then, we destroyed the Weather Dominator, making certain it couldn't be used again.

At last it was over.

"All's well that ends well," Flint said.

"Yeah," I nodded. I still wasn't sure how, but we had done it—we had won. "Wow." I let out a breath in relief.

I've always felt like our battle with Cobra for the Weather Dominator was my initiation to the team, the time when I took my place among the Joes. True, I had already been with them a while, but I hadn't really understood what it meant to be a Joe—until that moment.

All my life, I had grown up reading the people around me. I knew secrets—things no one else knew. I knew when a person was hurting, even when they covered it up. I also knew when they were lying, or afraid, or dangerous—or true. But instead of making me more confident in those relationships, it had the opposite effect, and I became more guarded. My father used to tell me I was far too independent for my own good. He said someday, I'd have to figure out how to let people in or I'd be setting myself up for a lonely life. He was right, I knew, but it couldn't change who I was. I trusted no one and relied only on myself. I had become the responsible one, the one who looked out for everyone else, the leader. Sure, I had friends, and admirers, too. But I never had any best friends, no one I'd let close enough to really know me, and certainly no one I would ever trust enough to help me-if I ever needed it.

But that all changed when I joined the Joes. For the first time in my life, I found myself really having to work with others-not just alongside-and more importantly, having to depend on others. It didn't matter what I could do, my skills, or the successes I could notch into my belt. The Joes just looked out for each other. That's how it was. More than just a team, they were a family.

Twice, while we battled for the Weather Dominator, I had led unsuccessful teams. Twice, in the retrieval missions, I had come back empty-handed. In my own eyes, I had failed dismally. But, the Joes didn't see it that way. _They didn't give up_. They kept "punching," as Scarlett was so fond of saying. It wasn't until we had won that I understood what those four words really meant. All of a sudden, the fight against Cobra was no longer about me or my successes. It was about _us_—_each other_—and _our_ saving the world—_together_. As a result, I began to see things differently. I began to look at my teammates differently, too. I still read them, was aware of their personality ticks and the thoughts and intentions beneath their words, but deeper and truer than all of that, I saw a man or woman willing give up their lives for another—true soldiers with hearts of sacrifice. This outshone every other aspect of their personalities. This is what made them Joes. And in accepting their help, I realized, was what made me a Joe. I had finally learned how to depend on others.

I think my father would have been proud, had he known.

After that, my friendships with the other Joes deepened quickly. I willingly gave them my trust—and not one has ever betrayed it. Even Shipwreck, who, to this day, habitually drives me crazy.

Back then, though, he'd show up at the most inconvenient times and his flirting was always in bad taste. And try as I might, he just refused to take a hint—and I was not so subtle, believe me. There were times I thought I'd pull out my hair in frustration. Luckily, I had the sympathy of most of the other Joes.

I remember one time when Flint found me in the Rec room, my face buried in my knees.

"Shipwreck?" he chuckled, sitting down next to me.

"Why ever would you think that?" I mumbled sarcastically.

"He doesn't mean any harm by it," Flint said. "It's just his way of being—friendly. He likes you."

"I know," I raised my head wearily, and frowned. "And that's the problem."

Flint looked at me, confused.

"Look, if he were anything but amicable in his approach, it would be so much easier to just hate him and get it over with. But he's not. And no matter what I say, he won't give up. It's not like I've ever been coy or duplicitous with him, either. I've always been forthright—in everything." I groaned. "Oh, why can't he just realize that I'm not interested in him in the least in that way."

To my surprise, Flint broke into a smile, looking as if I had just handed him the world on a golden platter.

"What?" I asked, now totally confused.

"Oh, nothing." He quickly sobered.

I stared at him, wondering what he was hiding. Wondering why, of all people, I found him so difficult to read at times—especially when he was usually so transparent.

He just shrugged and flashed a lopsided grin. "Nothing at all."

"Fine." I narrowed my eyes. _Like I believed him._

Shipwreck, however, for all his predictability, continued to surprise me. Just when I thought I was finally getting him figured out, another side of him would emerge—like the time I learned he had a soft spot for animals.

One morning, Shipwreck showed up for breakfast with, of all things, a parrot. And let me tell you, the bird was an instant hit. He flew around and around the mess alighting on tables, chairs, and Joes before taking flight again. He sang sailor ditties of his own warped version and made cheeky fun of Shipwreck. I couldn't understand why the man had him, and more to the point, why he was putting up with him. I wondered vaguely if the general knew. But, by the time I was scraping my dishes and returning my tray, Shipwreck and Polly had already been summoned to Hawk's office. My suspicions had been confirmed.

I exchanged worried looks with Flint. We both knew what that meant.

###

Shipwreck and Polly left the mess and headed for the General's office.

"I have you for less than twenty-four hours and you're already getting me called up on the carpet," Shipwreck complained.

"Shipwreck loves Polly. Everyone loves Polly. Arrack!"

"Shut up, bird—or I'll turn you into a pillow," he growled. He had soon reached the General's office. He rapped his knuckles on the door and waited.

"Come in."

Taking a deep breath, Shipwreck entered.

Hawk looked up from the stack of papers in front of him. His gaze went immediately to the green parrot perched on Shipwreck's shoulder. "What's this, Shipwreck?" he said.

"This is Polly, sir. A parrot."

"I can see he's a parrot. What I want to know is why he's here."

"I won him, sir—in a game of poker." Shipwreck hurried to explain. "Flush over two pair—Aces and Queens."

"Regulations firmly state pets are not allowed," Hawk said, steepling his fingers in front of him. He was clearly not amused.

"But he's not a pet," Shipwreck insisted.

"Oh? "The general's eyes flickered. "What exactly is he, then?"

"A covert operator."

"A—what?" Hawk choked. Then, his eyes narrowed. "You can't keep him."

"But why not sir?" Shipwreck protested. "Mutt has a dog, Snake Eyes has a wolf and Spirit and eagle. Why can't I have a parrot?"

Hawk's face grew stern. "Those animals pull their weight around here. Daily."

"So will Polly. I swear. Just give him a chance. You'll see."

"Arrak, Yo Joe!" Polly whistled.

"Please, sir—" Shipwreck begged.

Hawk stared at Polly for several minutes. Finally he lowered his hands. "Fine. I may be going against my better judgement in this but I'll let you keep him—"

"Hear that Polly, the General says you can stay!"

"—On a trial basis, Shipwreck."

"Yes sir," he grinned.

"And if I hear he becomes a distraction, isn't pulling his weight, or heaven forbid—becomes a nuisance to the other Joes—you will have to find him a new home. Do I make myself clear?"

"Oh, yes sir. Polly'll be no problem. You'll see. Thank you, sir."

Shipwreck rose to leave. "Don't you worry, Sir," he said. "I know Polly'll be great." Then, just before the door shut behind him, Hawk heard Shipwreck's voice lower. "It's a good thing you don't weigh very much, Polly."

The General dropped his head into his hands and sighed. "Why do I have a feeling I'm going to regret this?"

* * *

_End notes: This chapter refers to Sunbow's "The Revenge of Cobra," parts 4 and 5._

_By the way, it was pointed out to me that in the Revenge of Cobra, Shipwreck didn't have Polly. However, by the time of the next mini series, the Pyramid of Darkness, he was there. Where Shipwreck got him or why was never explained. This was my attempt. (I'd love to read a take on this by anyone else)_


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you once again to everyone for reading and following along. Thank you also for the reviews! They are always much appreciated. And, wherever you are, as we head toward the end of the year, I wish you and yours Happy Holidays, a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! _

* * *

I was heading down the hallway the next time I saw Shipwreck. To my surprise, Polly was still with him.

"Shipwreck!" I hurried to catch up. We began walking side by side. "Hawk didn't make you get rid of him?" I pointed to the green parrot on his shoulder. Polly was trying to balance on one leg as he cleaned the toes of his other. He wasn't having much luck, though, as Shipwreck kept moving.

"Naw. Polly's been made an official Joe," Shipwreck said proudly.

"Really?" I felt my forehead knotting. "But why? I mean it's good—" I added quickly. "—But aren't all Joe animals required to 'contribute to the cause?'" I quoted.

Shipwreck stopped mid stride and turned toward me, gaping. "Are you saying that Polly's not good enough to be a Joe?" He sputtered. "I'll have you know, Polly's just as smart as any other Joe animal—and just as useful. Maybe even more."

I lifted an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Well, he can fly for one thing." Shipwreck said. "And he can sneak into small places. And he can overhear secret meetings—"

"Sneak? Overhear secret meetings?" I smiled. "Shipwreck, he's a parrot, not James Bond."

"Yah, yah—" Shipwreck waved a hand dismissively. "—So I've been told. And Timber's a wolf and Freedom's an eagle. What difference does it make?"

"Yo Joe! Yo Joe!" Polly began bobbing and squawking excitedly.

"See," Shipwreck pointed to his shoulder. "_He_ knows."

I watched Polly's antics for a few seconds, trying not to wince. Only two thoughts took shape; the bird was loud and he was annoying. _What Hawk had been thinking when he let Shipwreck keep him, I was certain I'd never know—_

"Yo Joe! Yo Joe!" Polly continued.

—_And any more of this and I'd be nursing a headache_. "Shipwreck," I pleaded, glancing meaningfully towards Polly.

Shipwreck pretended he hadn't heard and began chewing on a hangnail. Polly's bobbing and squawking continued, growing louder.

"Shipwreck," I said again.

Still, he ignored me.

Finally desperate, I grabbed his arm and turned him forcibly, making him look at me. "Make him stop," I begged, pointing at Polly. "Please."

Shipwreck shook his head, smirking. "Nuh-uh." He was enjoying this way too much, in my opinion. He slowly crossed his arms over his chest. "Not until you say '_uncle_.'"

My mouth dropped open. "Seriously?"

"Oh, yeah," his smile widened.

"Yo Joe! Yo Joe! Yo Joe! Yo Joe!" Polly continued.

Groaning, I covered my ears with my hands and stared, first at Shipwreck and then at Polly. Both were looking quite smug and conceited. Despite myself, the corners of my own mouth began to twitch. "Alright, alright," I conceded, breaking into laughter. "Uncle! You win—both of you. Now just make him stop!"

Instantly, Polly settled down and went back to his preening, acting as if nothing had happened. Shipwreck thrust out his chest proudly, like a mother hen. The laughter faded from my lips in amazement. _Maybe there was something to what Shipwreck said about that bird._

"So—" Shipwreck grinned slyly and sidled closer. His voice oozed thickly. "Polly's been pretty popular with the babes, you know. No one can resist the little feather duster. Right, Polly? Don't you agree?" he cooed. With a finger, he began stroking Polly's chest. Polly began closing his eyes. Shipwreck glanced at me sideways. "I'm sure he'd let you pet him, too, Lady Jaye—course you and I'd have to sit real close." He puckered up his lips and batted his eyes.

_Ugh._ I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Not today, Shipwreck. I've got a meeting."

"How about tomorrow?"

"No, Shipwreck. I have to go. Now." I turned and began walking away in a hurry.

"The day after that?" he shouted after me. "I'm free."

I shook my head. _The guy never gave up—_

"So it's a date?"

I threw up my hands _—Ever. _Then, just as I turned the corner, I heard Polly, once more.

"Shipwreck's boat got sunk," he crowed. "Yo Joe! Yo Joe!"

"Shut up, bird."

After that, it seemed I was running into Shipwreck and that bird of his everywhere—except maybe PT and hand to hand. PT because Polly had developed a habit of screaming at everyone while we were running—and we chose to take it out on Shipwreck. Hand to hand because both Snake Eyes and Scarlett threatened to turn Polly into yakitori after he left empty seed shells and bird droppings on the mat. For punishment, Shipwreck had to clean them all with an old toothbrush—his own. Needless to say, whenever Shipwreck had PT or hand to hand after that, he made sure to leave Polly in his quarters.

It wasn't long, though, before we had all had become used to Polly being around and didn't give his presence a second thought. But still, not everyone was at the Pitt, and not everyone had heard about Shipwreck's new sidekick.

One morning, Spirit and Freedom returned from a month long mission. Around lunch time, they made their way to the mess.

"Hey Spirit, I didn't know you were back. When'd you get in?"

Everyone was glad to see them. Joes came up and welcomed them home: Gung Ho, Dusty, Quick Kick, and Roadblock.

"It's good to see you, man."

"Welcome back and that's a fact."

"Thanks. It is good to be back," Spirit smiled at the Joes circled around him, slapping him on the back, welcoming him home. Dusty handed him a tray and gave a spot near the front of the line. As they moved along, the Joes began asking questions and filling Spirit in on the latest Pitt gossip.

Freedom, however, choosing to avoid all the fuss, had already flown up to his preferred roosting spot, high on a window ledge. He had just started to preen his feathers when Shipwreck came into the room with Polly. Curious, Freedom paused and tilted his head sideways, peering down at Polly through one eye. Polly bobbed along on Shipwreck's shoulder, making wisecracks and rude comments, oblivious to Freedom's stare. After a while, Freedom shook himself and began to scrape the sides of his beak along the ledge—slowly and steadily. Polly, hearing the sound, looked up and froze.

"Raawk," Polly squeaked. He began hopping slowly from one foot to the other. "Nice little bald eagle. Good little bald eagle—" he crooned softly.

Freedom paused and blinked. His eyes, like small black marbles, fixed again on Polly, and this time with more than curiosity. He stretched out his wings and cried loudly. Then, with a small hop, he swooped down from the ledge.

Polly's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "_Arrawk!_" he cried. He leapt from Shipwreck's shoulder, flapping his wings frantically. Then, turning and diving, he began tearing around the room.

Freedom shadowed his every move.

"Help! Help!" Polly cried. "Don't big bad baldy eat poor Polly."

The Joes, watching the two birds in chase, began running between tables trying to catch Polly. Trays were overturned, drinks knocked from hands.

"Polly!"

"Over here."

"Freedom, no!"

They waved their arms to keep Freedom away.

Finally, Spirit called. "Freedom, come."

Freedom gave an angry cry, circled the mess once more, and then landed sullenly on Spirit's outstretched arm. Ruffling his feathers, he turned his head and glared at Polly.

Polly hurdled himself into Shipwreck's arms and Shipwreck cuddled the small parrot against his chest.

"You ok there, Polly?" Shipwreck asked, stroking Polly's head with his thumb. The bird's tiny heart was beating rapidly.

Polly moaned pitifully. "Polly not a cracker."

###

Pitt life returned to normal and we all settled into it, more or less, enjoying the rare down time. For the moment, Cobra seemed to have fallen off the radar and all efforts to track their activities came up empty.

Scarlett and I thumbed through pages and pages of intel. We searched web sites and questioned our contacts. Scarlet sent out feelers all over Japan. I regularly scanned newspapers in multiple languages. We both threw all our skills into our efforts, but it was to no avail. Not a trace of Cobra could be found.

Meanwhile, Duke and Flint went back and forth with Washington, both privately and in conferenced calls. But even the CIA and top brass had nothing to add. It was both frustrating and exhausting. As the silence stretched and grew, so did our desperation. It was almost as if we could feel Cobra's coils wrapping around our necks, pulling tighter. We all knew it was only a matter of time until they struck again.

Finally, Hawk left for Washington to see what information he could gather. In his absence, the silence hanging over the Pitt seemed to deepen, the threat to become more imminent. We were all on edge, trying our best not to tear into each other nor crack under the stress. And still the pressure continue to build.

And believe it or not, in the midst of all the stress and high tension, that _something_ that had developed between Flint and I was also 'building.' A word, a quote, a lopsided smile, a simple touch. Each moment set my heart threatening to leap from my chest. Flint would hint, flirt and then pull back. I'd respond, smile, and then back away. It was like we were moving through the steps of an intricate dance: the attraction and coming together—but never quite touching—and then the pulling away again. We struggled with it: the balance of duty, responsibility, professionalism and our own private wants. I felt like I was spinning, spinning, and never quite in control, breathlessly waiting for—something. It was all coming to a head and something was going to break.

What I didn't know was that that something would be me.

###

Duke called a dozen of us out to the airfield. A plane had just landed and was taxying in. I wondered who it could be, and why Duke had asked us to join him. As far as I knew, we were not expecting any visitors—especially VIP's.

Duke was already there—with that irritated look he got when things happened unexpectedly and out of his control. His lips were pursed, too, I noticed. Another bad sign. We gathered without a word, lining up in formation behind him. Looking around, I noticed an absence. I wondered briefly where Flint was.

The plane slowed, turned, and then came to a complete stop. A moment later, the door opened.

We all gasped and began murmuring as General Hawk stepped out. Scarlett and I exchanged confused glances. He was the last person we would have guessed.

"Hawk, what happened? We weren't expecting you back until next week," Duke marched straight up to him. The rest of us stood rigidly at attention.

"We finished earlier than expected," Hawk said, looking around. He nodded to the group of us. We lowered our salutes and stood uneasily.

"But why didn't you inform us of your return?" Duke hounded him. He was like a dog after a bone. Unanswered questions had never sat well with him.

"It kind of happened quickly. I didn't want to miss my ride back," Hawk explained vaguely.

They began walking side by side toward the main building of the Pitt. Duke's steps were quick and hard. As we watched, we didn't know if we were to follow or if we had been dismissed. Some of the group decided to break away. Others, like Scarlett and myself, decided to follow.

Duke and Hawk hurried along, seemingly oblivious to the rest of us. Scarlett and I kept glancing at each other uncertainly. We fell farther and farther behind. The Joes behind us began to separate and scatter. Then, just as I was thinking about leaving, too, I started to get that feeling—like something wasn't right. I looked again at Duke and Hawk, carefully taking in all the minute details. That was when I realized what had been bothering me: Hawk's walk was all wrong. It was too confident and his strides far too wide. Then, I understood. _That_ was not Hawk.

At the same moment, Flint arrived. His eyes met mine and he smiled briefly. I started to say something, to tell him what I had just learned, but he had already broken into a jog to catch up with the other two men.

Apprehension filled me as I watched.

Flint soon reached general. He raised a hand in salute. "Sorry, I'm late, sir." I heard him apologize. "Greenshirts."

The false Hawk, glancing at Flint, smiled—a cold smile I had seen before. "Quite understandable," he said. Then, I saw something glint in his hand.

"Flint, look out!" I cried. All other thoughts left me as I started to run.

"Lady Jaye?" Scarlett sprinted after me. "What is it?"

"Hey!" Shipwreck yelled, already far behind.

Several others also gave chase.

Flint turned at the sound of my voice and then seeing the knife in the hand of his attacker, sidestepped quickly to the right. As the knife missed, slashing the air beside him, Flint grabbed the man's wrist and twisted. Then, he brought a knee upward, striking the man's arm. The knife flew from the imposter's grasp and slid clattering across the asphalt. Watching it land out of reach, the imposter cursed and then swung wide at Flint. Flint ducked and kicked. His boot made solid contact. The imposter lost his balance and fell over with a grunt. As he rolled to his knees, Flint was on him instantly, pressing a knee into his back. Within seconds, Duke was standing over them both, a gun in his hand. Quickly, Flint pulled out his own pistol and pointed it. The man stopped struggling and glared.

"Who are you?" Flint spoke through gritted teeth. "And where's Hawk?" he demanded. "What have you done to him?"

The man laughed darkly. "Your precious general is still in Washington. Unharmed, too, I might add—much to my regret."

Flint raised a hand. "Why you—"

"Flint, wait!" I crouched beside the imposter and then reaching under the man's chin, peeled off his mask.

"Zartan." Everyone gasped.

All eyes turned toward me.

"How did you know?" Duke asked.

I felt my face heating. "I wasn't sure, at first," I stammered. "But then I noticed his walk was different and I knew he couldn't be Hawk."

"Well, I'm glad you were paying attention, Lady Jaye." His eyes narrowed as they turned toward Zartan. "That was a lucky break."

"Thanks, Duke." I let out a slow breath.

"I'm glad, too," Flint said quietly. He was staring at me, his brow knitted in thought.

I pressed my lips into a small smile before looking away.

"I have to wonder, though, why Flint?" Scarlett asked.

Flint growled softly and clenched a fist. "I was wondering the same thing."

"We'll find out, believe me," Duke said firmly. "Law, get this piece of trash out of here and throw him in the brig. I'm sick of looking at him."

Law pulled Zartan roughly to his feet. He pressed the muzzle of his gun firmly into his back. "Get a move on—and no funny business."

Before he left, Zartan turned his gaze on me, his eyes glinting. "I would have succeeded if it hadn't been for you," he growled. Then, his lips spread into a hard, thin line. "But who knows? Maybe, you'll be next."

A chill ran down my spine, settling in the pit of my stomach. It took every bit of my acting skills, but I held his gaze and didn't blink. My hands clenched.

"Don't even think about threatening her, Zartan," Flint warned, stepping between us quickly. Then he turned to Law, "Watch him carefully."

Law smiled. "Don't worry, Flint. I've got everything under control. Move it, scum!" Five armed soldiers accompanied Law and Order as they escorted our "guest" to the brig.

After they had left, Shipwreck walked over and draped an arm over my shoulders. "Man, if you hadn't noticed the general was a fake, our ol' buddy Flint here might have been skewered—" he began.

"Shipwreck—" I warned. I closed my eyes. The terror I had managed to push down earlier began washing over me in waves.

"—and by now, he'd probably be lying on a table in the infirmary," he continued. "Or worse, yet, in some zippered body bag."

"Shipwreck—" I began shaking. "Please." I wrapped my arms around myself. I couldn't stop it.

"That was some real quick thinking there, doll face."

"Shipwreck stop!" I shouted. "Enough!" My chest was on fire. "And don't call me doll!" Choking back tears, I turned and ran.

"Hey, what's the matter with her?"

"Nothing you would understand, Shipwreck," Scarlett said. She was staring at Flint thoughtfully.

Flint said nothing.

###

It turned out Duke was right. Zartan's little stunt had been Cobra's attempt to throw us off the trail but it had backfired, creating such a stench that it led us—instead—straight back to them. Finally, we had the break we had been searching for—we had found their trail. Leisure time was over.

Hawk and Duke wasted no time in getting us mobilized. Once again, we were divided into teams and assigned to different missions. And, when I heard what the teams were, I couldn't help but laugh a little. Shipwreck, now recognized as an official member of the Joes, was being sent out like the rest of us rather than choosing his own mission. And to my great delight, this time he wasn't going to be with me. I had another partner.

Hawk called him to his office personally to give him his orders. "Shipwreck, I want you to find out what Extensive Enterprises is up to."

"Those twin psychos? Sure, if you say so," he agreed. He glanced at the parrot on his shoulder. "—I'll just need to get someone to look after Polly while I'm away. Ok, Polly?"

"Just a minute, Shipwreck—" Hawk said slowly, steepling his fingers. "—Polly's to go with you on this one."

"Polly? With me?" Shipwreck stared at the bird in horror.

A smile teased the corners of the general's lips. "Yes. Polly's been assigned to your team."

"Assigned?" Shipwreck's face took on a tinge of green.

"You did say Polly could 'spy on things,' didn't you?" Hawk continued.

"Spy! Spy!" Polly squawked happily.

"Well, sure. But—"

"And you did say he could 'get into small places,' didn't you?"

"Yes, but—"

"And didn't you agree that he would pull his weight around here?" Hawk bore down like the hawk he was, pinning Shipwreck with his stare.

Shipwreck slowly blinked and then swallowed. "I guess I did say all that," he admitted reluctantly.

"I though so." Hawk slowly leaned back in his chair and smiled. "So—"

"Polly! Polly!"

"So, Polly's going with me," Shipwreck said miserably.

Hawk nodded and rubbed his hands together. "Exactly. I'm glad to see we have an understanding."

Shipwreck muttered. "Sure, if you call walking the plank with a harpoon pointed at your back an understanding."

"Yo Joe! Yo Joe!" Polly cackled, bouncing up and down on his shoulder. "Go Polly!"

"By the way, sir," Shipwreck said suddenly, as if the thought had just occurred to him. "Who else is on our team?"

"Snake Eyes and Timber."

"Snake Eyes and—" Shipwreck sat bolt upright in his chair. "Wait— You're sending a sailor, a ninja, a wolf and a parrot on a covert mission—to infiltrate Extensive Enterprises?"

Hawk's smile widened. "You did also say Polly was a 'covert agent,' didn't you?"

"Uh," Shipwreck swallowed. "Right. Come on Polly. Let's get out of here before he thinks of something else I've said."

"One last thing, Shipwreck—" Hawk said as if an afterthought.

Shipwreck winced and turned. "What, sir?"

"—You'll probably have to play dead, first."

"Wha—?" Shipwreck slapped his forehead and shook his head. "This mission just keeps getting better and better," he grumbled.

Hawk chuckled. "Welcome to the Joes."

* * *

_End notes: This chapter refers to Sunbow's "The Pyramid of Darkness," part 3—one of my personal favorites. :) The next chapter continues._


	5. Chapter 5

_Many apologies on the delay for getting this chapter out. My daughters and I traveled to the US for Christmas and New Years. We had a wonderful time visiting family and friends. But it was, as always, too short. And when we returned to Japan we were exhausted. Just before school started again, my youngest developed the flu...and so it went on from there. But all is back to normal now, with all the kids finally healthy and back in school._

_So, a belated Happy 2020 to everyone! Thank you, again, for reading and following along with this story. I appreciate every review, every pm, every favorite, every follow. Thank you so much for all your encouragement. _

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It was Shipwreck's mission that gave us the tip we needed. A signal had been received from his homing beacon. Cobra was transporting another one of those mysterious cubes. We tracked the signal and pinpointed the destination.

That's when it became my turn. If Shipwreck's job had been to infiltrate Extensive Enterprises and find out Cobra's plan, mine was to run interference by stopping Destro—and whatever it was he was up to.

To my delight, I was to be paired up with Flint, once again. But even better, this time we had been designated to fly separate Skystrikers—which meant no flipping a coin to see which of us would get to pilot.

Flint and I were equally good pilots and we both loved flying. Nothing compared, in my opinion, to the thrill of skimming through the clouds at mach speeds. Flint, I know, felt the same because it had always been an issue between us who would fly when we were assigned to joint missions. And stubborn as we both were, neither of us wanted to give up willingly, either; co-piloting just wasn't nearly as much fun as having your hands on the controls. So, we made it a sort of ongoing competition with the winner earning the right to pilot. We tried arm wrestling; Flint won that time. We threw darts; I won that one. Whatever we did, though, it seemed one of us always had an advantage over the other. That was why, after several heated arguments-and various threats from the rest of the team-we finally agreed on the coin toss. Of all our options, it was deemed, by far, the fairest and the safest for everyone.

After setting our coordinates, we took off from the runway and headed into the clouds. When we arrived at the "Devil's Playground," Destro was already maneuvering the mysterious cube into position. The thing was huge, bigger than a house. I couldn't imagine what it was for. All I did know was that he was almost finished and we were running out of time.

"Flint, I'm going to make an attack run. Maybe we can frustrate him a little."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll be right behind you, Lady Jaye."

"Roger that."

I hit the throttle and pulled up on the stick. Flint fell in behind me and we attacked. Bullets churned the ground below us as we passed. Destro's troops retaliated with their own fire.

The cube remain untouched.

"No dice, Lady Jaye. We're going to have to go at it again. Lower this time."

"Understood," I said. Immediately, I circled and dropped.

On our second run, Destro's ground troops were ready. This time, they threw everything they had at us—bullets and SAMs and handheld rockets. Both Flint and I took several hard hits. Then, my right engine burst into flame. I had no choice but to eject. Rocketing into the air, my breath caught in my throat and I squeezed my eyes shut. I had always hated heights. Then, my stomach lurched as I began to fall. Almost immediately, my parachute caught I was jerked into a slow descent.

Slowly, I opened my eyes. I had to remind myself to breathe again. Flint was to my right, in another parachute.

"Looks like we'll just have to do this from the ground." I heard his voice buzz in my right earpiece.

I gave him a thumbs up and nodded. I was still trying to catch my breath.

Once on the ground, we shed the parachutes and then began sneaking from rock to rock. We were hoping to catch Destro unaware. We wove our way around the pools of hot mud that dotted the landscape. Most were small, like puddles, but some were as large as small ponds. Every so often, bubbles would rise up from the pools and burst, releasing noxious fumes. It wasn't hard to see how the place had earned the name "Devils' Playground". However, as I covered my nose, I couldn't help thinking _Dante's Inferno _might have been even more appropriate.

As we continued creeping forward, a shadow suddenly passed over us, followed by a spray of bullets.

"Lady Jaye. Watch out!"

Cobra gliders had spotted us. As Flint and I ran for cover, I tripped and fell. Warm mud splashed over me. It had a smell like rotten asparagus. Getting a lungful of the fumes, I coughed, trying not to gag. If you don't know what that smells like, consider yourself lucky. It's not a smell you'll likely forget.

Ever.

"Ugh." I rose from my hands and knees and began wiping the mud from my chin. "Disgusting."

"Pink _is_ your color." Flint laughed.

Half-coughing and half-choking, I shot him an angry glare. "Don't laugh, you bum."

I don't think I was very convincing because he was still grinning as he handed me my javelin pack. I slung it over my shoulder, grumbling to myself. Then, taking the lead, we continued forward.

We saw him before he saw us. Destro.

A large pool of mud separated us. He was standing near the far edge, the cube having just been lowered into position. Wasting no time, I grabbed a javelin and threw. Destro dove for cover as it exploded near his feet. Then, rolling to his stomach, he pointed his gun toward us. Bullets tore at ledge beneath us. The edge gave way and Flint and I fell into hot, bubbling mud.

_Gasp_.

My thoughts came to me in broken fragments. _Hot. My skin burning. Pain. Stinging. Can't breath. Can't…_

"Lady Jaye!" Flint gave a muffled shout.

I turned toward the sound of his voice. My thoughts, for the moment, cleared. "Flint—" my words faded. We were both caught, floundering—unable to get out. Unable to help each other. I looked toward the bank and my heart sank. So far.

_The mud. Too heavy. Pulling me down. Can't…move my legs. Getting tired. _My thoughts began to beat down on me, once again.

"Jaye, fight it," Flint cried. He was thrashing desperately.

"Flint," I whispered. I clenched my fists, wrestling my wild thoughts into submission. _Got to focus. Can't panic. I am not going to die here! _ _WE are not going to die here! _I kicked and flung out my arms. But I more I fought to keep my head above the mud, the faster I sank. Mud began seeping into my ears. I tilted my head back to breathe. Tears filled my eyes as fear and despair pushed their way into my heart. I filled my lungs one last time before the mud pulled me under.

And then I remembered.

_My javelin. The one I had specially designed. In case I ever got trapped on a sinking ship. Or submarine. Underwater._

_Under mud._

_Would it work?_

My thoughts were becoming disjointed, fuzzy. My lungs were burning, begging for air. I was running out of time.

_Only one chance._

I felt for the javelin—the thick one in the far back of my case. My fingers latched on to it greedily.

_Let this thing work, _I prayed_. _With my other hand, I grabbed hold of the floundering Flint. Pulling him tightly against me, I pushed the button near the end of the staff. A transparent skin was dropped over us. Air was pumped inside, simultaneously forcing the mud out. Coughing and choking, we held one another as a bubble of air formed around us. Then, we just breathed, taking in lungful after lungful of blessed, wonderful oxygen. If I'd had any tears left, I would have cried.

Flint was the first to speak. "Thanks—" he gasped, his voice so hoarse and faint it hardly sounded his own. "—You ok?"

Each word tickled my neck, we were so close. I nodded dumbly. I was still clinging to him, partly because I was too exhausted to move and partly because I still needed his closeness. Death had come a little too close, and, to be honest, I was scared stiff. But Flint understood. Without saying a word, his arms tightened around me and he just held me. I pressed my head against his chest, listening to his heart. Each beat was a reminder that we were both still alive.

"It's good to breathe again—" He said at last. "—Even if the quarters are a little cramped."

I looked up into his face, at the murky shadows playing across it.

Smiling, he reached around and moved a strand of muddy hair from my eyes.

A lump caught in my throat. Suddenly, I didn't care anymore. In that moment, nothing else mattered. We were together and we were alive. For the first time, I wanted to tell him everything, to reveal my heart to him—to have no more barriers. Before I knew what I was doing, my mouth opened. "I don't know," my voice was husky. "Seems pretty cozy to me—for a bubble." Then, realizing what I had just said, I blushed furiously.

Flint's eyes widened, and then he swallowed. Hard. "So, uh, where do we go from here?" he stammered.

There was no doubt we had grown closer. Flint hinting, flirting and then pulling back. Me teasing, responding and then turning away. But here, in the Devil's own Playground, it all came to a head. Totally alone, we had shared a near-death experience. Beneath the mud as we clung to each other, there had been no audience—just us, and a second chance at life. There was no more time for play. Life was far too precious. The lives we lived too dangerous. I think I said once before that Flint and I had always been careful about our relationship, careful not to let it go to far, not ready to take that chance. It was at this moment that all of that changed. That we changed. That I changed.

It was dark outside our bubble, and the little light coming through the mud cast a reddish glow all around. I realized we had just begun to rise. I met his eyes boldly and smiled. "Why, to the top," I said. "Naturally."

"To the top," he chuckled softly, running a finger along my jaw. "Naturally."

I've heard it's the unspoken words that often carry the most meaning. Until this moment, I'd never known what that meant.

I smiled, again.

Flint smiled back.

The bubble reached the surface and began to dissolve and we separated. Flint was the first to crawl out. Turning back toward me, he offered a hand. "Time for us to put the brakes on Destro, don't you think?" he asked.

"Most definitely." I took hold and he pulled me up onto the bank beside him. We were still in that in-between place and I needed to get my head back into the battle. "Wait a minute," I said. "There's one thing we need do—" I raised an arm and then shouted as defiantly as I could. "Yo Joe!"

Raising his own arm, he joined me, his voice just as defiant. "Yo Joe!"

We looked at each other and nodded. We were alive. Death had not taken us. We were ready. We were Joes. Then, side by side, we rejoined the rest of our team.

The battle was hard and furious. Despite our efforts, Destro managed to plant the cube and escape. But we didn't despair. We knew there would be another chance. There always was. We would get him, next time.

The ride back to the Pitt was quiet. Everyone could see that something had changed between Flint and me, and they gave us space. They knew we had both just experienced near-death experiences—and that that could change anyone. But, in our case, the experience had not happened alone; we had been together. And it was the sharing of that experience that changed everything between us: how we saw each other, and how we saw _us_. The moment had bonded us together, forever.

Sitting on the hard bench staring out at the window at the darkening sky, I glanced over at Flint beside me. He was quiet, melancholy, sitting with his head down, his hands clasped in his lap, almost as if in prayer. I wondered what he was thinking, if he was feeling the same as I. Timidly, I reached over and took his hand in mine. As he lifted his head, our eyes met. A lopsided grin stretched across his face and I smiled back.

It was then that I knew we had become a couple.

* * *

_End notes: This chapter refers again to Sunbow's "The Pyramid of Darkness," parts 2 and 3—and as I already mentioned before, a favorite of mine. I hope I did it justice. :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_Another long delay in posting, I know. It's been a huge challenge finding time to write. But, this one finishes it up. _

_I hope you have enjoyed. Thank you for reading and following along. _

_Yo Joe forever!_

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"Trust goes deeper than knowledge."

When we returned to the Pitt, I said goodbye to Flint and headed straight for the recreation room.

I could feel it all around me; my world was changing. Had changed. Because of Flint. I was all nerves and raw emotion, excited and terrified. But, as I made a beeline through the long, narrow halls, a deeper something drove me.

I didn't want anything to mess this up.

Especially not me.

That had happened once before, with an incident with a friend, when I caught her in a lie. I remember my father saying something at the time I hadn't understood, something I had nearly forgotten—until now. As I walked along, I kept hearing his words repeating, "You and Marissa have always been such good friends. Give her a chance. You know Allie, sometimes you have to put aside all that stuff you _know_, and simply trust. There's probably a good reason for why she did what she did."

_Trust._

I hadn't understood his words at the time and as a result, I lost my best friend. It wasn't until years later that I learned why Marissa had lied- that she had done it to protect me. But by then it was too late, and she was gone.

Now, I was in a new life, surrounded by a new circle of friends. And if I'd learned anything at all from my short stint as a Joe, it was that the Joes never worked alone. I knew I needed to be able to rely on each person at every level, personal and professional-and I mean all of them. And I needed to make sure that my relationship with Flint didn't change any of my relationships with them.

I wasn't about to let the past repeat itself, at least not if I could do anything about it.

With that in mind, there was one person I needed to see—to clear the way for the path I had now found myself-and to reset boundaries. I needed to know Shipwreck's intentions toward me, and clearly state my own. I could no longer afford to rely solely on my instincts, and on what I thought I _knew_. I just hoped that at the end of our conversation, we'd still be friends.

My hunch was right, I found Shipwreck with Gung Ho and Ace, playing billiards. He was sitting on the sofa, chalking a stick and laughing. Taking a deep breath, I walked right over to him. "Hi," I said.

Shipwreck looked up and seeing me, he grinned. "Hi, yerself. You just get back?" he asked.

I nodded.

"And ya came here, looking for me?" His eyebrows rose slightly in his surprise.

I nodded again.

"You missed me, didn't ya?" He leaned back, his grin widening as he folded his arms lazily behind his head. "I knew ya would."

"Mind if I sit?" I pointed to the empty space next to him.

"Not at all." He slid over to make more room.

"Thanks."

His arm snaked around my shoulders and I resisted the urge to shake him off. But, as he leaned in closer, I stiffened.

"I can't tell ya how glad I am to see ya back safely and in one piece. I'd heard ya had a close call out there," he said.

"Yeah—" I said, shifting my body as far away from him as I could. I still didn't look at him. Instead, I began tracing the fading circles of the carpet with the toe of my boot. "—Something like that."

"Don't wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"No, not really," I answered.

He nodded and shrugged. "Then I won't ask." He scratched his chin and then turned toward me, his voice growing thoughtful. "You know, they're showing _Misery_ in the Rec Room tonight. How about I save ya a seat? It'll help you take yer mind off of things. And—" The ends of his mustache twitched. "—If ya get scared, ya can hold on to me."

I froze, fixing my eyes on an old cola stain near my foot. "Uh, thanks for the invitation. But, no." I said firmly.

"Well, ya can't blame me for trying," he sighed dramatically.

At that, I couldn't help myself. A small smile lifted the corners of my lips.

"So, ya hungry?" He began to rise from the sofa. "I can walk ya to the mess for a bite if ya want."

"No, that's ok. I'm meeting—" I paused, and then suddenly blushed. My voice fell to a mumble. "—I'm meeting Flint in his office in a few minutes. We were going to go together."

"Oh…" His voice trailed. He sank back into the couch. For the briefest moment, I thought I saw a shadow fall over him. Then, once again, his face brightened and I almost doubted what I had just seen. "Oh," he said, again. "Well, some other time, then?"

"Sure." I gave him a dazzling smile. "I'd like that."

"So, it's a date?"

I nodded.

"Woo Hoo!" He jumped up, shouting. "Guess what, everybody. I just made a date with Lady Jaye!"

My mouth dropped open. "Shipwreck!" I cried in protest. I couldn't believe what he was saying. And after what we had just been saying!

"What?" He looked down at me and winked. "It's true."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I did the only thing I could; I shook my head and sighed.

So, who is Shipwreck?

Shipwreck is without a doubt, one of the Joe's biggest troublemakers. His brash and stereotypical sailor attitude, coupled with a fun-loving, adventure-seeking personality, continually get him into trouble. But he is also one of our truest, bravest, and most loyal members. He's a man who, finding himself face to face with the enemy, will give his all and more. Just like everything else he does. In the short time he's been with us, he's managed to earn a reputation for telling tall tales and for having exceptionally poor culinary skills. It seems he is the only one who can stomach his own cooking-except maybe Gung Ho, who is known to eat anything. Shipwreck also flirts with all the women—not just me—unabashedly, despite the constant rejections. And, yet, I know he would willingly lay down his own life for any of us, at any time. I guess you could say, Shipwreck is a rule unto himself; he does things his own way.

Kind of like we all do.

I've heard rumors that before coming to the Joes, Shipwreck's superiors, not knowing what else to do with him, shipped him off to Navy S.E.A.L. school in the hopes that the training there would make him a better soldier. It made him better all right...a better fighter, better skilled, but also more independent. That's how he ended up with us and why, for all his rough edges, he fits in. Like the rest of us, at his core, he's just a Joe.

Shipwreck, realizing I had grown quiet, stopped his exuberant celebration. He grinned uncertainly. "Still buddies?" he asked, offering me his hand.

"Still buddies." I took it warmly in my own.

"Polly'll be so relieved," he laughed.

I laughed, too. "Thanks," I said softly.

"For what?"

"For being you," I said sincerely.

He smiled. "Anytime, doll."

_Doll. _The name once gave rise in me, but no longer. I returned his smile.

He gave my hand a squeeze. Then, leaning in close, he began to whisper, so quiet that only I could hear. "By the way, whenever you get tired of _him_, you know you can always come back to me—"

_"__Shipwreck!" _I shouted, pushing him away.

"Whaaat?"

Maybe I still can't read him very well, but at least I understand him a whole lot better than before. Sure, we still fight off and on, and we disagree probably more often than we agree. But despite all that, Shipwreck is a teammate I'd be glad to have by my side, anytime. And I know he feels the same about me. I know he'll watch my backside— Ummm, maybe I'd better rephrase that. I know he'll be there for me. And I guess that's really the whole point. Shipwreck is someone I can depend on...simply because he's my friend.

To this day, Shipwreck still does the occasional flirting, but he is now less overt, less enthusiastic—and I no longer mind—because I understand. I guess you could say I have finally figured him out—at least as much as I can. And more importantly, I have learned to trust him. The fact is, Shipwreck is Shipwreck. And, you know what else? I wouldn't want him any other way.

My father was right, after all. Trust does go deeper than knowledge—_it goes straight to the heart._


End file.
